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While adventuring with Larxene was important, saving someone's life unfortunately required other Pokemon to pull off in this case, so you reluctantly pull out your Staryu, Hardcore, and your Happiny, Trucy. Hardcore had the difficult part: brave the spore cloud and get the victim out of it. Its ability to spin its way through the cloud, however, meant that it wasn't affected by the spores, so it was able to make its way safely toward the person and quickly Teleport both of them back out of it as soon as Hardcore touched the person, revealed once they were out to be a middle-aged man. As Trucy was already busy casting Aromatherapy when Hardcore went in, the preparation was complete, and she let loose a puff of green powder for the man to inhale while Quinn did all the necessary first aid treatments. You set your focus back on the spore cloud and finally gave Larxene an order in an attempt to clear away the spores. She spins and spins until the dust on the trail is picked up and swirled all around her until a gust of Sand was brought forth and sent down the trail, Storming its way through and rendering the spores inert until the path ahead was clear and the entrance to the forest was revealed.

"Are you alright, sir? Can you talk?" the ranger asks the man who was still coughing but appeared to be safe now that he was breathing in fresh air. "Ellie... Ellie..." he said hoarsely before continuing to breathe. "It's okay now, help is on its way." It would take about fifteen minutes for a jeep to drive to their location and whisk the man away, which was enough time for the man to explain why he was there in the first place. The man was named Thomas, and he and his daughter, Ellie, had come here to look at the waterfall when they were attacked by Grass Pokemon. They both ran out as fast as they could when the spore attacks were used, but they both took different paths, Thomas being caught in the cloud and Ellie somehow able to avoid the attacks altogether. He claimed that she was still somewhere in the forest, and there was no telling if she was safe or not, but the jeep wasn't here yet, meaning Thomas's own safety would not be guaranteed should you leave him...

What will Shadow do?

The team had thankfully pulled through for the emergency scenario, but the core problem still remained. There was no telling what the wild Pokemon were doing or up to, and clearly Sector Shadow weren't the only ones having unfortunate encounters. Quinn managed to get the victim, Thomas, to give them a brief on what had happened. Shadow could empathise; he'd already had several cases of his teammates being stolen away under his watch. It was clear that they had to begin searching for Ellie as soon as possible, but the jeep not arriving yet meant that he couldn't be escorted to safety. Shadow paused. There wasn't a lot of information to go on, but considering the situation, Thomas couldn't really be faulted. It didn't seem likely that Thomas was lying; Shadow did run away from a horde of Grass-types alone. How likely was it that Thomas would be attacked if they left him there? It didn't seem high, but it wasn't a chance they could take considering how injured Thomas was. Raising their respective PokeBalls, Shadow returned Hardcore and Trucy back into their orbs before turning to the ranger.

"Quinn, maybe we should bring Thomas along," suggested Shadow. "We can't guarantee his safety if we leave him alone, and he can at least help pinpoint us to where Ellie was last seen. We can protect him far better if we're around him." Looking at Larxene, he placed a palm on her shoulder, rubbing it gently as a sign of assurance.

Jak's Astoria Adventure #17

OOC: Here are the remainders of the updates I was supposed to include last time. Also, a bit of housekeeping to be done. The reposts will be posted at the end. Going to chat with GS/DS to see who hasn't been taken yet. I think there are a few who haven't been taken yet. Now it's back to business.

The Divine Woodland

~Magus Falls~

Uhhhhh: After a short walk back to Cecilia’s cabin, she welcomes you inside through her large wooden door. You and your Pokémon walk in followed by Cecilia and Aggron.

There’s a fireplace against the far right wall in the living area adorned with couches, chairs, ottomans, and rugs. There’s a dining area as you walk in with a small table and a large flat rock, which you presume is where she and Aggron eat. Cecilia motions you over to the living area, so you oblige. You can’t help but notice all of the photos on her walls.

The photos all seem to be of Pokémon and flowers. One such photo is of a couple of Pichu and a Pikachu. Another photo has a Beedrill and a Weedle in its arms like it was being swaddled plus there were some Combee scattered about. There was a photo of meadow of dandelions and marigolds with a couple Sunflora as well. Amongst all of the photos you notice a common theme.

“I thought you’d notice my photo collection,” she comments from the kitchen as she prepares a snack for you all. “How do you like them? They were all donated to me by various travelers who come through these parts.” She walks into the living area and places a tray on a coffee table. On the tray is a big glass of MooMoo Milk with a plate of cookies for you and a bowl of Oran Berries for your Pokémon. She walks over to your side. “This one was given to me by a young girl passing through with her Electabuzz. She really liked the Electabuzz baseball team by the looks of her shirt and cap.”

“Please have a seat and relax,” she sits on a big chair and watches Gaspard enjoying the berries. “Most people around here wouldn’t hesitate in charging money for helping travelers out, especially with that giant Yanmega around. I don’t think it’s right to take advantage of people like that. Sure some have given me money, but what I truly value most are those photos. They all have a story to tell. You may have noticed something in common with all of those pictures. I happen to really like the color yellow, so I think most of my visitors try to find me something yellow I don’t have yet.”

Cecilia looks out the window. “You know, I’ve heard rumors of a specially colored Mothim in the area. Its golden wings contrasted by the patches of blue. Why it’s the very beacon of day. Sun-colored wings with patches of the clear blue sky.” Cecilia chuckles to herself. “I used to go exploring this forest with my Aggron, who was a Lairon at the time. I saw this Mothim once in the forest, but I didn’t my camera with me. As soon as he saw me, he flew off, away from the bunch of Watmel flowers he was enjoying smelling. I wonder if that flower is his favorite.”

She sighs, “I’m too old now to go exploring the forest. Sure Aggron would carry me around, but I couldn’t do that to him. Plus the field of Watmel flowers is on the other side of a lake, not too far from the waterfalls you were at. Do you think that would be an adventure you would take on?”

What will you do?

-------------------------------------------------------

Eyrie Peak

~Adventure Path~

Myahoo: With the battle of Pidove against Wildfire waging on, you and Chloe both wondered why the Tiny Pigeon Pokémon attacked all of a sudden. He was busy creating some razor-sharp winds that he wanted to slice Wildfire with. Fortunately, for Wildfire, he was able to use his extrasensory powers to knock the Pidove in the head and make him forget what he was doing.

Pidove became frustrated at that, and he decided to try a similar approach. He didn’t take as long to launch an attack though. His wings glowed, as blades of air cut through the air aimed at Wildfire. The air blades struck your Cyndaquil, and they were more powerful than they normally were. The critical damage must have been fueled by its anger. Wildfire, though, didn’t let that stop him. He lit his fire, and his eyes glowed summoning the power of nature to aid him. This power caused a Rock Slide to fall from the ceiling, all around the cave. Rocks fell in the pond, on the battlefield, and a few of them struck Pidove. This caused him to fall to the ground.

“Maybe you shouldn’t do that again,” Chloe remarked. She held Wings closer to her, as she looked at the ceiling of the cave.

Pidove, breathing heavily, began to growl at Wildfire. It sounded more like an angry coo though. Either way, the growling still caused a quickly charging Wildfire to shake his head as his attack power dropped a little. The Cyndaquil was able to attack Pidove, and the tackle knocked the Pidove against one of the rocks on the ground from the earlier Rock Slide.

Since he was on the ground, Pidove started to roost a little, hoping to get some health back from that Rock Slide.

You’re getting there. What will you do?

------------------------------------------------------

The Mystic Jungle

~Forgotten Ruins~

Allishinca: You and Pluto stand in the snowy windy chamber protected only by the heat of the torches. Luckily for you both, the torches throw a considerable amount of heat. Beheeyem the Guardian is nowhere to be seen as you work out the riddle he presented to you.

You step forward and all of a sudden, "The answer to the riddle is... Torkoal." Pluto looks at you dumbfounded for uttering such a guess. *SNAP* Beheeyem appears once again observing Pluto’s expression.

It approaches the Sableye, “Do you think that’s the answer, friend?” It looks at you. “You didn’t even take the time to confer with your partner. Do you remember what I said if you got a question wrong?” Only a minute passes, but it feels like ages. “Luckily for you, it’s correct!”

Beheeyem doesn’t waste any time revealing the path onward. “Perhaps the cold and wind was a great motivator?” it thinks out loud. “Perhaps I should just give out the next riddle here. Nah!”

Before you could even move, a strong wind blows past all of you. The wind manages to extinguish the torches. In the momentary chaos caused by the sudden blackout, you could swear something was watching you, something other than Beheeyem. Before anymore thought is given to it, the torches light up once again. At least the heat came back. “Terribly sorry for that,” Beheeyem apologized with a bow. “That’s how it’s done right?” Beheeyem makes towards the exit. “Perhaps it’s time to vacate the premises. I’d hate to think how cold it would get if I weren’t here to relight the torches.”

Once your preparations are complete, you and Pluto also exit the chamber. “Now that’s unusual, the torches are already lit. Even before you or I entered the hallway. Please go on ahead. I’ll stay here and check out the torches for a possible malfunction.” As you both move on, you continue to notice more of the torches are lit. Suddenly, you hear those clicking sounds you once heard before, but this time they come from further down the hall.

As you continue down the hall you get the sensation you are walking downhill. You and Pluto stop and stare down the hall, and the hall appears to be level. Something seems to be unusual here. You also notice the walls changing from the white polished look of the previous chambers and hallways to the rocky walls of a cave. You see the opening just ahead and keep walking. As you enter the room, it looks just you may have thought it would. If you weren’t in a temple, you would swear you just walked into a cavern in a large cave system. The room is at least similar to the other rooms you’ve been in; at least there were two torches in the middle of the room.

“Didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, did you?” Beheeyem snaps into view. “I didn’t think so. Curious.” The Guardian thinks for a moment. “I wonder if…,” its thoughts trail. “I don’t remember what I was going to say. Please, come in.”

“Ok, now let’s get to business. You’re almost there. Did I ever tell you how many rooms there were? 719 is a number that’s coming to my mind for some reason. But that’s not true. There are really only 5 here. That means we’re almost done. Then you get a prize. I’ll give you a riddle, and never mind, you know what to do already. Here goes:

Am I selfless? Am I brave?
Am I strong? Am I a crazed
one for fighting for my friends
until the very end
despite any danger I face?
No matter how many scars,
while I fly I can carry a car.”

The Labyrinth: Spreading across the boundary of the Divine Woodland and the Dead Forest, the Labyrinth covers approximately 20 hectares of land and is home to some of the most powerful Pokémon in the land. It is recommended you steer clear of the dark side of the Labyrinth at all costs.

Blaze was at his Secret Base, preparing his bags for what he figured would be a long adventure into a place of secrets, wonder, and mystery. According to the travel brochure he picked up in town, jet skis as well. Blaze remembered telling Remilia about that, and her reaction to it. 'Jet skis? If you want to sell a forest where few return, you don't give them recreation. That ruins the whole mood.' Blaze remembered chuckling about that before, but now that he had already set his travel plans, a ball of fear lodged itself in his stomach. 'Where I'm going isn't one of the places that's full of people and recreational activities, I'm going someplace where they for some reason tell you not to go to the Dark Side. I should be fine, I've dealt with worse situations before, but it makes me wonder if I've got this place wrong somehow.'

After finishing packing his bags, Blaze opened up his Pokedex and quickly scrolled through his Pokemon to decide who he was going to bring with him. This was a little bit more difficult than in the past, since he had twenty-seven Pokemon to pick from rather than the somewhat smaller numbers he housed before, but he instantly made a few choices. First of all was his Misdreavus, Patchoulli, since he knew that she would be very interested scouring the forest for magical artifacts, if there was any left. Remilia insisted that Patchoulli create an immortality potion, although Blaze never knew if Patchoulli agreed to this or not. Blaze continued to flip through, and realized that Patchoulli was a very low level Pokemon, and that he should bring a Pokemon with a bit more power in case things got hairy. The first one to come to mind was Hades, because of the fact that he was somehow Level 39 (Blaze was convinced this was a glitch in the system, because he didn't remember making him that high of a level), but Hades demeanor towards Blaze was an issue and he passed on that. Blaze decided on Marche, because that was his best friend and the one that had been with him for all of these years as a comrade and partner, and if there was anyone suited to take on evil things that lurked in the dark, it was Marche. Blaze still had some slots to fill, so he decided to look for a few members of his team he didn't know. Bora was the first one that came to mind, as he didn't know anything about the Starly that he had traded for, so he was in. In that note, he also choose to bring along McFreezey, his Snorunt, and Miko, his Geodude, as he didn't feel too close to either of them. But the last slot was still unfilled and he didn't know who to choose...

"Hey, you weren't forgetting me on this big adventure of yours, were you?" A kind, but sharp voice rang out behind him, and he knew exactly who was talking to him. "Hey, Remilia. You want to come as well? Won't that be a problem if you aren't a Woobat?" She walked closer to me before looking at my bags on my bed. "What? Is it really that weird? Do you think people are going to have that big of an issue with it?" Remilia was looking a bit ticked. "Well, there is the wings and all..." Remilia pouted before she turned around. All of a sudden, her wings were gone. "I can take care of that really easily." She said smugly. "Well...umm..." Blaze couldn't think of a good response to this. It was true that right now, she would seem like any other ordinary girl, except for the red eyes and the light blue hair. "What about going out in the sun? I know that you would be fine in your Woobat form, but what about otherwise?" "I had a solution for that before, Blaze. I would carry a parasol around with me. I know its a fashion trend right now, I've seen at least two other girls do it." Blaze figured that was true, but Remilia wasn't done yet. "You just don't want me to go, do you? It's okay when other people come over here and see me here, but if I got out its a problem?" Blaze couldn't tell if Remilia was mad (although he figured that she was) or just confused on why exactly she couldn't go. 'Come to think of it, I really can't think of a reason why she wouldn't be able to either. As long as no one saw he change back into a Woobat, there shouldn't be anyone who would know the truth about her.' Blaze looked at her again, before smiling and nodding his head. "Alright, I think we can handle it. You just have to make sure you don't do any transformations in front of people. While we are in Astoria, you are just Remilia; the cute girl who is on an adventure with the one she loves." Remilia blushed slightly before smiling at me. "I'm cute?" "Of course you are." I got up and leaned into a kiss, just like that first night it has happened. Well, except for the fact that she kissed me. "Hey, I'm still not used to that!" Remilia walked away briskly before turning back around. "I'll get my bags packed, so we can leave as soon as we can!"

---Astoria

They had gotten off the boat off of a port that was nearby the Labyrinth, and as far as Blaze could tell, no one knew that there was anything up with Remilia. He saw a couple looks in their direction, but they weren't hostile or confused, they were just curious. 'I have to admit, I'd be pretty curious too. She looks like a real lady with that dainty parasol. I wonder if I just look like a young boyfriend.' He chuckled a bit at this, causing Remilia to look over at him. "What's so funny?" If anything gave her away as someone who was not necessarily a lady, it was her voice. Her words were like daggers, instead of being soft-spoken. "Oh nothing, I was thinking about how you look like a real lady with that parasol." "Look like a real lady? You know very well I am one. I wasn't the mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion for show." "I still can't believe it myself personally. You were that rich?" Remilia laughed a bit, a fine clear laugh that was as every bit great for Blaze's heart as it was dangerous. "Yeah, I was. I lost it all but I got something much better out of the deal." She looked over and winked at Bkaze, and that made him laugh himself. "So how far is this Labyrinth anyways Blaze? I don't want to be a massive bother about things, but if this is going to involve a lot of walking..." Remilia was silently pleading for it to be just further ahead. After all, it was a Labyrinth, so it was going to involve a lot of walking, so Blaze could understand where she was coming from. "It's probably a ways Remilia, sorry. If Bora was a Staraptor, I would have him fly us over there, even if it was only one at a time. I know its a inconvenience to have to walk all the way there considering where we are going, but my hands were a bit tied." Remilia spun her parasol around, something Blaze would soon learn to be associated with annoyance. "Well, if we get lost, I'm draining you for vitality first."

'This is it...the entrance of the Labyrinth.' Blaze thought as he looked ahead, or at least tried to, to get a feel of how big the place was. In truth, Blaze had no idea. It seemed to go on for a nearly endless amount of length and width. "Wow, it seems to go on forever, doesn't it? Isn't it like the length of like 20 football fields? Are you sure we are going to be okay with this?" Remilia asked timidly. Blaze was pretty scared himself, this seemed like some kind of monumental task and he wasn't sure he was ready for it. "Do we have anyone with really good memories? We could possibly have someone keep track of what directions we took." Remilia tilted her head down as she began to think. "Ideally...I would have brought Sakuya around. But Patchoulli's got a really good memory, she remembers pretty much everything from our library to reproduce books from scratch. So we should be safe with her around, but what worries me is getting to the end of the labyrinth. What's at the end of it?" Blaze pulled out the travel brochure from his bag and opened it up, looking for any hints about what could be at the end of the labyrinth. All he saw was that people should stay out of the dark side of the labyrinth. "It doesn't say much really, other than to stay out of the dark part of it. Maybe its the Bog of Eternal Stench." "The what? What about Eternal Stench?" Blaze laughed for a bit as Remilia panicked about what horrors could be waiting for her. "Don't worry, its from a movie. One that is ironically called Labyrinth. I'll make sure to watch it with you sometime." "Don't joke around like that! I don't want to throw away good clothes." Blaze laughed again while Remilia's parasol spun slowly.

Blaze took out a Pokeball from his belt, throwing it into the air, where it released a Misdreavus that floated down towards Remilia. Blaze nimbly caught the Pokeball with his hand before putting it back on his belt, while the Misdreavus turned around and looked at the Labyrinth in front of her. "A labyrinth? Are you actually planning on going in there? I assume that you want my help with that, am I right?" Blaze didn't know what to make of Patchoulli. She seemed to be pretty laid back normally and not at all what he figured she would be like. For someone who ran an entire library, he figured she'd be super strict, and most of the time she wasn't. Then there were times like this where she was quite clearly in a bad mood and Blaze could almost feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up from the enmity. "Uhhh...yeah we are. Remilia pointed out that you have a very good memory, so I wanted to ask if you could remember what directions we took in the labyrinth, so we don't end up getting lost." Patchoulli looked down for a moment, pondering the question, before looking back at Remilia. "Remilia, you suggested this? If that is so, then I'll be happy to help. But I do hope I get something in the end for my troubles." Blaze got the gist of it. "This entire island was rumored to be blessed by witches who wanted it to come back to life. I'm sure if we look for something, we should find an object with some magical power in it for you." Patchoulli turned around, thinking, before a small smile broke out on her face. "You are a little more cat-like that I thought you were. I'll be looking forward to investigating whatever we find in here."

Patchoulli took her position over Remilia's head as we walked up to the entrance of the Labyrinth. 'I'm gonna have to ask what Patchoulli meant by that at some point. But for now, let's just focus on conquering this Labyrinth and not falling into potential oubliettes.' Blaze looked at Remilia who nodded back at him, and they both walked into the Labyrinth, a familiar song going through Blaze's head...

You remind me of the babe
What babe?
The babe with the power
What power?
The power of voodoo
Who do?
You do
Do what?
Remind me of the babe!

Adventures in Astoria by Dark Searchman, Part 29

Whew, finally got another set of these beauties out! I also welcome DaveTheFishGuy to my group, have fun, and don't die~ >=D

The Divine Woodland

Magus Falls

Shadowshocker –

You had just saved a guy from a cloud of death spores...congratulations! Now you had to worry about the guy’s daughter who was lost and likely in big trouble, but you couldn’t just leave Thomas here, so you suggested to Quinn that he should accompany the two of you, to which she nods, “I agree, we can contact the jeep that’s heading this way on where to go.” The ranger then turns to Thomas. “Okay, which way did your daughter go?” she asked him.
“There’s a fork up ahead...she took...the path back into the woods...the right path,” he explained. That would be a problem because there was still a huge cloud of spores that would be way too risky to walk into.
“Then we can’t wait for this cloud to dissipate. Shiftry, come out and use Hurricane!”

A Pokemon that closely resembled a spirit known as the Tengu came forth, striking a pose that may have been intended for Larxene before waving his fans in the direction of the spore cloud, but...it didn’t seem to do anything? Well, that must have been embarrassing for the Shiftry; it seemed like the attack always has a chance of failing no matter how much training any Pokemon puts into learning it because Shiftry looked like he was another high-level Pokemon Quinn owned. “Teach you to show off like that,” Quinn giggled. “Try it again!” This time, the attack worked as intended, and an intense gust of wind was exactly what was needed to blow the cloud away, though it had an unfortunate side effect of blowing a few of the smaller trees which would put them off kilter unless someone came along to straighten the trees back up. That would explain why she didn’t use Shiftry’s Hurricane in the first place; it didn’t seem like an attack that could be used willy-nilly. “Good work, Shiftry, now return!” she praised her Pokemon before sending him back to his Pokeball. “Okay, the path should be clear, now let’s move!”

You were tasked with helping Thomas walk around as you headed down the path as fast as you could, taking the right path as you were told, with Quinn informing the jeep of which path to take as well. Just as it felt like you were heading into a thicker part of the woods, a Breloom steps out from behind a tree and blocks your path. “Please, you have to move out of the way!” Quinn pleaded urgently. “This man’s daughter is lost in there, we just want to rescue her, and we’ll leave your home after that, but we need to get in there to find her!” The Fighting-type wouldn’t listen, however, as it looked towards you and put up its fists, apparently challenging you to a battle…

What will Shadow do?

Celebi's Shrine

DaveTheFishGuy -

The curse of the great outdoors had claimed its latest victim as you found yourself...uh, thinking you had to be in the right direction in this vast forest, though you were likely wrong. Gytha, your Skiploom, looked like she had a sense of direction better than you (or that map of yours for that matter) so she got your attention by jumping on your head as hard as her light-as-a-feather body could before she directed you towards the left, where it didn’t look like there was a reliable trail. Still, leave it to a Pokemon to be more in tune with Mother Nature than cartography ever could, right?

As you make your way down what looked like an older trail not kept up by park services, you couldn’t help but feel out of place as a fisherman in a forest where there was no body of water to be seen for miles. Sure you had traversed through a desert before, even though you were out of your element, but there was something completely different about this: you expected to hear at least the running water of a brook, but it wasn’t there...maybe the water would be further down, closer to the shrine? It would make for an interesting scene. Not that the woods you were in weren’t totally picturesque, far from it! It was just that, with all this lush, green vegetation, you figured there had to be some sort of water source giving it life...or you could chalk it up to magic, that wasn’t unheard of in these parts.

You traveled down the intended direction for what felt like an hour, even though it was only about a fourth as much time, according to your Poketch, and you finally come across a man in green robes, all the looks of a Medieval-style, European monk, standing there holding a simple wooden staff in one hand. Perhaps you could ask this guy for directions to the shrine? “Halt! Who goes there!?” the monk shouts at you as he notices your approach, now holding his staff in your hands and pointing it in your direction. “In the name of the Traveler, you will identify yourself!” Ehehehe, maybe it’s not as good of an idea to ask this guy for directions as you previously thought?

What will Dave do?

The Labyrinth

Electric Blue Eye -

It didn’t matter whether the Simisear was protecting its territory or wanted to battle for some other reason, you and Jaws were absolutely willing to accept the challenge, and Jaws in particular roared out loud and proud before rushing in, kicking up a cloud of dust, and spinning to create a Sandstorm, though it didn’t seem like one at full strength...perhaps Jaws didn’t quite kick up enough dust from the ground to make a good one? In any case, the sandstorm still started, but it probably wouldn’t last as long as it normally would, and you estimated it to be about half as effective as well. This, of course, would mean that the Veil of Sand that Jaws could normally hide behind was thinner, so Simisear’s attacks would be a little more accurate than you would like: it spits out a fast ball of Flame that hits your Garchomp’s chest before Bursting against his body, though the land shark wasn’t fazed too much by it thanks to its Dragon-type resistances. Still, the attack annoyed Jaws enough to start Digging his way to safety, but the Simisear was barely able to send him a parting Gift: a flaming Occa Berry that Naturally would hit Jaws’s tail just before he was completely underground.

The Simisear looked around wondering where its foe was; the signature fin of a Garchomp was nowhere to be seen this time because he was so deep underground that it didn’t stick out of the ground. This gave Jaws the element of surprise as he took advantage of the Stones beneath Simisear’s feet and resurfaced under it, causing all of the rocks to beat against the monkey’s body and deal massive damage to it. But this was Simisear’s territory. It wasn’t about to let a few bruises stop it from defending its home! Before Jaws could react properly, Simisear had latched onto his body and sunk its fangs into his left shoulder, breaking through his scaly hide before you hear a nasty Crunch that disturbingly sounded like a bone snapping before Jaws roared out in extreme pain; that had to have been a critical hit for a mere monkey to do THAT to a dragon! By the time Simisear had let go of Jaws, he was clutching his bleeding--and likely broken--shoulder as best he could with his other arm while making a nasty grimace, looking at his injury every so often; this would likely make his Defending himself and even his Attacking less effective. Simisear, meanwhile, wasn’t looking too good either having received some nasty bruises from Jaws’s Stone Edge attack though it still won the damage trade overall having the energy advantage and a slight health advantage. The battle barely started, and already your Pokemon was suffering!

What will Ethan do?

MarbleZone -

You weren't expecting to need your strongest Pokemon right off the bat, but if you wanted to explore the blocked path you would need more than simply a Pokemon that could Cut the vines down; you needed a Pokemon that could resist the heat and the flames the vines were giving off as well. Thus, you called upon Syre, your powerful Salamence, who fit the bill quite well. He had already killed a Gardevoir to prove his strength, so what he needed to do here looked so easy. Tear down a simple wall of burning vines? Ha! Such a task was laughable at best in your proud dragon's mind, he could do that in his sleep! You could see a slight smirk on Syre's face before he raised his paw high in the air and brought his claws straight down, making a clean slice against the wall and Cutting the vines in twain with ease.

However, you and Syre notice more vines spontaneously growing in place of the old vines, and these vines look bigger and stronger while having the same sort of burning in them. Syre is able to rent these vines down as well, but again, they come back as an even thicker wall, and this time your Salamence was too close and finds two vines hugging each of his front paws, making him unable to use Cut unless he is released from them. As he starts chewing at the warm vegetation holding him, you begin to hear a deep, feminine voice inside your head...that's certainly not Nyx.

*The Will of the Labyrinth is law. Those who enter her walls either learn to obey it...or be punished by it.*

Immediately after, some of the flames on the wall grow slightly and begin to move off to the right of you before stopping mid air and turning blue. *The path you try to access is blocked because someone else has already chosen it,* the voice continues as the wisps are soon joined by a yellow tail for each wisp, all of them meeting together at one point before the rest of the vulpine body materializes in front of you. *Once someone has chosen a path, none other may go down it until every path has been selected. And simple...brute force,* the Ninetales says with disdain, looking at Syre who was still trying to gnaw his way free, *will not suffice to clear the way for you.*

*Now heed my advice, human...and my warning,* she speaks again in your mind. *Choose a different path, and I shall leave you and your friends in peace...for now. But should you continue your efforts to intrude on another's path...* The fox's eyes widen, and you soon feel a breath on the back of your neck which sends a chill down your spine as the same voice whispers, not in your mind, but in your ear: "I...will leave you...in pieces!" Syre looks back for one moment to find out what exactly was behind you: a giant version of the Ninetales in front of you, her teeth bared and ready to clamp down on the life in front of her. "So speaks the Will of the Labyrinth."

What will Levin do?

The Mystic Jungle

Waterfall Valley

Treepandaone - *REPOST*

As you and Shieldon begin your journey into the jungle, you remind yourself of everything that had happened to you... well, at least as far as your memory allowed you to remember. You had apparently lost some of your life, and with that some of your strongest and rarest Pokemon, though you still had an extremely rare, unique critter walking with you at that very moment, along with some new friends you couldn't wait to start some adventures with. (including a Spinarak whose previous trainer wasn't quite sure what she was up to half the time; perhaps it was best to keep her in her Pokeball for now...) There was a trail to walk through the rainforest, but it was fairly narrow and surrounded by thick foliage you had to brush aside every few steps just to see ahead of yourself. Thin vines had snaked their way throughout the ground, and you and your Shield Pokemon had to stop quite a few times to get yourselves free from the snags in the road they provided. After about half an hour of this, you suddenly feel drops of water beat down on your head and trickle down your face, and the rain intensified very quickly after that. You heard about rainforests having downpours like this all of a sudden before vanishing soon after, but it only looked like the storm was only going to get worse. Shieldon looked okay for the moment as the water dripped harmlessly off its tough skin, but you felt the need to get yourself some shelter so you could sit out this weather.

It wasn't even five minutes, however, when the rain stopped almost abruptly. Rainforests really had strange weather, didn't they? Oh well, best to just move on right? Wai- not again! You curse at a second sudden rainstorm and urge your Shieldon forward, again looking around for something to stand under. Just when you spot a tree with a hole underneath just big enough for the two of you to crawl in, the rain relents just as quickly as the first time. You weren't going to let the unpredictable weather patterns of the Mystic Jungle get to you a third time, however, as you continued to head straight for the hole under the tree. Just as you were about to crawl inside, almost as if fate wanted to make fun of you, you and Shieldon were drenched by a third downpour, though this time you had the shelter to take advantage of, and you weren't out in the rain for long. Now that you had a moment to relax and collect yourself, you start hearing voices out in the distance, voices that sounded like they were... chanting something. It certainly was possible that whoever or whatever was chanting was behind these random torrents, but you would likely have to brave another random rainfall or two to investigate, or you could always wait in your hole until you were sure the raining totally stopped...

What will Matthew do?

Dead Forest

Toxic Marsh

Missingno. Master –

While Miror B. and Ludicolo were hanging in there, you knew as well as the flunkies, Folly and Trudly, that their Exploud and Dusclops were running low on health, Dusclops moreso than Exploud. With that in mind, you had Hedwig aim a Dark Pulse at Dusclops in an attempt to finish it off, and the rings of Dark energy spewn from her mouth were indeed enough to do the job as it easily knocks over the mummy and causes its eye to stop glowing. "Dusclops..." Trudly grimaces at his now unconscious Pokemon and quickly returns it to its Pokeball. Hedwig would only have a little Dark energy left, not enough to do another Dark Pulse, but it was well worth using as it was now a 2v2 battle. Unfortunately, knocking out Trudly's Dusclops didn't release your Crobat from the Gravity spell still in effect, so she would have to wait until it wore off before she could fly higher again... at least she wouldn't have to worry about it being re-cast. Meanwhile, Folly was still trying to wake up his Exploud, but to no avail. He could only watch as James slugged it with a Drain Punch, regaining health and energy and also putting Exploud on a...heh, longer nap than intended. "Bahhh, that Rest didn't do any good..." Folly said, muttering a curse to himself before returning his Exploud, leaving Miror B. and Ludicolo the only enemies left to worry about.

James left himself wide open to attack, however, so he was the logical target for Miror B.: "Ludicolo, find your Zen, and Headbutt that Vileplume!" Lucky for you, that Ludicolo's angle was off just enough so that it still hit James but dealt reduced damage, meaning that it only brought James's health back down to where it was before he drained Exploud of his health. "Don't let up, my darling! Let the flower feel the fever of your Giga Impact!!" Your heart skipped a beat; that attack would be enough to KO James if it hit, so you prayed for James to dodge it...unfortunately, while the Zen Headbutt from earlier didn't cause your Vileplume to flinch, it did cause him to take a long enough moment to reorient himself that he wasn't prepared to dodge the attack as ordered, so he took the powerful attack head on and was overwhelmed so much by it that he was rammed against the tree before the flower petals drooped over his dazed face. You look back at the Ludicolo; it was breathing heavily and would be forced to rest, but it miraculously had enough energy to stay conscious! Something else was off...where did Folly and Trudly go? You were so preoccupied by the battle that you didn't see them leave...
"Hehehehehehe," Miror B. chuckled evilly as he shuffled from side to side. "Lookin' for my posse? They're runnin' off with our loot: a load of Bullwinkle Poison-types! You want to stop their footwork? You'll have to stop mine first! Crobat-ter up~ If she can beat my darlin', you might be able to reach 'em in time. I'll even be fair and let my Ludicolo not do anything; you two can attack him as much as you want! Oh wait, I can feel a different tune coming to lay the bat down in a bit, plus my Ludi still has...oh, about 70% of his health left so you better hurry~ Now give us all you got...before the last note drops!"

Hedwig is still being held down by Gravity, is still dealing with a little mud in her eyes, and has only 40% of her energy left, but this is looking to be the final round of the battle...better make your orders good ones, Keith!

Whew, finally got another set of these beauties out! I also welcome DaveTheFishGuy to my group, have fun, and don't die~ >=D

Dead Forest

Toxic Marsh

Missingno. Master –

While Miror B. and Ludicolo were hanging in there, you knew as well as the flunkies, Folly and Trudly, that their Exploud and Dusclops were running low on health, Dusclops moreso than Exploud. With that in mind, you had Hedwig aim a Dark Pulse at Dusclops in an attempt to finish it off, and the rings of Dark energy spewn from her mouth were indeed enough to do the job as it easily knocks over the mummy and causes its eye to stop glowing. "Dusclops..." Trudly grimaces at his now unconscious Pokemon and quickly returns it to its Pokeball. Hedwig would only have a little Dark energy left, not enough to do another Dark Pulse, but it was well worth using as it was now a 2v2 battle. Unfortunately, knocking out Trudly's Dusclops didn't release your Crobat from the Gravity spell still in effect, so she would have to wait until it wore off before she could fly higher again... at least she wouldn't have to worry about it being re-cast. Meanwhile, Folly was still trying to wake up his Exploud, but to no avail. He could only watch as James slugged it with a Drain Punch, regaining health and energy and also putting Exploud on a...heh, longer nap than intended. "Bahhh, that Rest didn't do any good..." Folly said, muttering a curse to himself before returning his Exploud, leaving Miror B. and Ludicolo the only enemies left to worry about.

James left himself wide open to attack, however, so he was the logical target for Miror B.: "Ludicolo, find your Zen, and Headbutt that Vileplume!" Lucky for you, that Ludicolo's angle was off just enough so that it still hit James but dealt reduced damage, meaning that it only brought James's health back down to where it was before he drained Exploud of his health. "Don't let up, my darling! Let the flower feel the fever of your Giga Impact!!" Your heart skipped a beat; that attack would be enough to KO James if it hit, so you prayed for James to dodge it...unfortunately, while the Zen Headbutt from earlier didn't cause your Vileplume to flinch, it did cause him to take a long enough moment to reorient himself that he wasn't prepared to dodge the attack as ordered, so he took the powerful attack head on and was overwhelmed so much by it that he was rammed against the tree before the flower petals drooped over his dazed face. You look back at the Ludicolo; it was breathing heavily and would be forced to rest, but it miraculously had enough energy to stay conscious! Something else was off...where did Folly and Trudly go? You were so preoccupied by the battle that you didn't see them leave...
"Hehehehehehe," Miror B. chuckled evilly as he shuffled from side to side. "Lookin' for my posse? They're runnin' off with our loot: a load of Bullwinkle Poison-types! You want to stop their footwork? You'll have to stop mine first! Crobat-ter up~ If she can beat my darlin', you might be able to reach 'em in time. I'll even be fair and let my Ludicolo not do anything; you two can attack him as much as you want! Oh wait, I can feel a different tune coming to lay the bat down in a bit, plus my Ludi still has...oh, about 70% of his health left so you better hurry~ Now give us all you got...before the last note drops!"

Hedwig is still being held down by Gravity, is still dealing with a little mud in her eyes, and has only 40% of her energy left, but this is looking to be the final round of the battle...better make your orders good ones, Keith!

What will Keith do?

Keith grinned as the battle went on- Hedwig's Dark Pulse did its job and knocked Dusclops out, and James's Drain Punch proved to be the finishing blow against Exploud. Before Keith knew it, all that remained was to deal with Miror B. and his Ludicolo. However, Miror B. was not discouraged by these odds, and commanded a Zen Headbutt on James. Keith was a bit worried at the mention of the super effective move, but thankfully, Ludicolo's angle was a bit off. The move didn't connect for full power, but it seemed to cancel out anything James had healed up from using Drain Punch. "OK," Keith sighed in relief. "You're doing great, James!" he said encouragingly.

But Miror B. wasn't done just yet. He gave Ludicolo another command, ordered another move against James- Giga Impact! Keith's eyes widened in horror- that move would surely knock James out! "James, no! Dodge it!!" he screamed. But unfortunately, the Flower Pokémon was still reeling from the earlier Zen Headbutt, and thus took the full force of the considerably powerful move. It slammed James into a tree with such force that Keith thought he could feel Lily's Valentine Ball shaking in fury on his belt. Any hope that James might have endured the hit were swiftly dashed as the Vileplume fainted. Keith groaned as he held out the Valentine Ball. "Come back, James!" he said as the ball withdrew its floral occupant. He briefly considered sending Lily back out, but he knew she would be at a disadvantage in terms of strength. Also if she did indeed know just how brutally James had been beaten, she would surely go at Ludicolo as recklessly as possible, most likely leaving her way more open to retaliation than she normally would, and Keith couldn't, and wouldn't, allow that.

Keith looked back at Ludicolo- heavily breathing, in obvious need of rest, but still conscious. And then, Keith realized something was missing. He knew he shouldn't have expected to still see Trudly and Folly's Pokémon, but now he didn't see Trudly or Folly anymore, either! "What the-" he began. Miror B. gave an evil chuckle before telling Keith exactly what the. His goons were running off with their loot- the Bullwinkles' Poison-types! The situation before him became clear- Keith had to finish off Miror B.'s Ludicolo before he could go after Trudly and Folly. Miror B. claimed that if Keith was able to win in a timely fashion that he would still be able to catch up to the thieves, though Keith took his words with a grain of salt. Still, he knew, taking down the Ludicolo was the only way out he could see. If he tried to just flee the battle, Miror B. would undoubtedly catch up to him.

Keith and Hedwig exchanged glances, despite Hedwig's eyes still containing a bit of mud. They both knew this needed to be ended quickly, and the look Hedwig was giving Keith confirmed her willingness to end the battle by any means necessary.

"OK, Hedwig, no holding back," said Keith. "Sky Attack, maximum power! If it's still somehow standing after that, follow up with Brave Bird! Repeat as needed if that's still not enough somehow."

Whew, finally got another set of these beauties out! I also welcome DaveTheFishGuy to my group, have fun, and don't die~ >=D

MarbleZone -

You weren't expecting to need your strongest Pokemon right off the bat, but if you wanted to explore the blocked path you would need more than simply a Pokemon that could Cut the vines down; you needed a Pokemon that could resist the heat and the flames the vines were giving off as well. Thus, you called upon Syre, your powerful Salamence, who fit the bill quite well. He had already killed a Gardevoir to prove his strength, so what he needed to do here looked so easy. Tear down a simple wall of burning vines? Ha! Such a task was laughable at best in your proud dragon's mind, he could do that in his sleep! You could see a slight smirk on Syre's face before he raised his paw high in the air and brought his claws straight down, making a clean slice against the wall and Cutting the vines in twain with ease.

However, you and Syre notice more vines spontaneously growing in place of the old vines, and these vines look bigger and stronger while having the same sort of burning in them. Syre is able to rent these vines down as well, but again, they come back as an even thicker wall, and this time your Salamence was too close and finds two vines hugging each of his front paws, making him unable to use Cut unless he is released from them. As he starts chewing at the warm vegetation holding him, you begin to hear a deep, feminine voice inside your head...that's certainly not Nyx.

*The Will of the Labyrinth is law. Those who enter her walls either learn to obey it...or be punished by it.*

Immediately after, some of the flames on the wall grow slightly and begin to move off to the right of you before stopping mid air and turning blue. *The path you try to access is blocked because someone else has already chosen it,* the voice continues as the wisps are soon joined by a yellow tail for each wisp, all of them meeting together at one point before the rest of the vulpine body materializes in front of you. *Once someone has chosen a path, none other may go down it until every path has been selected. And simple...brute force,* the Ninetales says with disdain, looking at Syre who was still trying to gnaw his way free, *will not suffice to clear the way for you.*

*Now heed my advice, human...and my warning,* she speaks again in your mind. *Choose a different path, and I shall leave you and your friends in peace...for now. But should you continue your efforts to intrude on another's path...* The fox's eyes widen, and you soon feel a breath on the back of your neck which sends a chill down your spine as the same voice whispers, not in your mind, but in your ear: "I...will leave you...in pieces!" Syre looks back for one moment to find out what exactly was behind you: a giant version of the Ninetales in front of you, her teeth bared and ready to clamp down on the life in front of her. "So speaks the Will of the Labyrinth."

What will Levin do?
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The Labyrinth, it would seem, had a life of its own. Syre's repeated attempts at removing the obstacle in his path seemed to have drawn the ire of whatever spirits lurked within, and the longer he kept trying to Cut down the regenerating vines, the more aware Levin became of someone else's presence. When flames came to life and coalesced to form a guardian Ninetales, his suspicions were confirmed.

- The Will of the Labyrinth, you say?

Despite its intentions, the Ninetales chose the worst possible approach if its goal was to deter Levin. He didn't take kindly to being told he "couldn't" do something; it was the fastest way to get him keep trying. It was a character flaw that he never quite managed to overcome - it touched the very delicate matter of his pride. Not only that, the fact that somebody had gotten here before him and chosen the same path only riled him up further. But he at least matured enough to recognize that as juvenile thinking.

This isn't my home nor my rules. The Labyrinth is inhabited by someone powerful enough to decide who goes where inside these walls; I'd enjoy having a similar degree of control over Marble Garden and I'd damn sure put it to use if I could. Who am I to defy the masters of the laby...

His reasoning was cut short by a giant manifestation of the same Ninetales materializing right in front of him, jaws agape threatening to eat him alive. And terrifying as it was, it was also, in some odd way... insulting.

- Well, I was going to play by your rules. Not anymore.

Syre's dragon blood boiled at the Ninetales challenge, mirroring his Trainer's feelings. He tried to gnaw off the remaining vines that bound his front paws, eager to take on the apparition and force his way through the forbidden path, until a familiar voice echoed in both of their minds.

Clever. It looks to intimidate you, when it already got its point across. There is a higher power dwelling in this Labyrinth and we should avoid drawing its ire prematurely. If we make it far enough into the depths of this place, we are bound to come across the one we truly need to defeat. The choice is yours, but I would suggest you play along for now. We do not know our adversary well enough.

The beast's fangs glimmered in the faint light of the room. Syre seemed to ponder on Mazo's words as well, and by the change in his expression Levin guessed the dragon was convinced. It was another trait of Syre's he deeply appreciated - much like the Lucario, the dragon had seen and lived through enough to become a reasonable, mature Pokemon. Levin was also inclined to agree with Mazo, the eternal voice of reason; he'd have to swallow his pride and humor the "will of the Labyrinth"... for now.

- ... Fine. We do it your way Ninetales. But something tells me we'll be seeing each other again in the near future. Syre, thank you for your help... return for now.

He recalled the Salamence into his Pokeball, freeing him from the vegetation and saving his strength for later. He stared at the giant Ninetales with challenge in his eyes but refused to engage it, instead walking to his left to take the flowery path that was apparently open.

Mazo shouldn't have to tell me these things. I almost got into a needless fight because I still can't keep it together... But I'll remember this next time. The Labyrinth will test us, and I have to keep a clear mind and cold blood.

Determined not to make the same mistake again, he took to the path on his left, covered in bright-colored flowers, knowing full well that looks can be deceiving and he should expect no mercy from the structure he was about to enter.

It didn’t matter whether the Simisear was protecting its territory or wanted to battle for some other reason, you and Jaws were absolutely willing to accept the challenge, and Jaws in particular roared out loud and proud before rushing in, kicking up a cloud of dust, and spinning to create a Sandstorm, though it didn’t seem like one at full strength...perhaps Jaws didn’t quite kick up enough dust from the ground to make a good one? In any case, the sandstorm still started, but it probably wouldn’t last as long as it normally would, and you estimated it to be about half as effective as well. This, of course, would mean that the Veil of Sand that Jaws could normally hide behind was thinner, so Simisear’s attacks would be a little more accurate than you would like: it spits out a fast ball of Flame that hits your Garchomp’s chest before Bursting against his body, though the land shark wasn’t fazed too much by it thanks to its Dragon-type resistances. Still, the attack annoyed Jaws enough to start Digging his way to safety, but the Simisear was barely able to send him a parting Gift: a flaming Occa Berry that Naturally would hit Jaws’s tail just before he was completely underground.

The Simisear looked around wondering where its foe was; the signature fin of a Garchomp was nowhere to be seen this time because he was so deep underground that it didn’t stick out of the ground. This gave Jaws the element of surprise as he took advantage of the Stones beneath Simisear’s feet and resurfaced under it, causing all of the rocks to beat against the monkey’s body and deal massive damage to it. But this was Simisear’s territory. It wasn’t about to let a few bruises stop it from defending its home! Before Jaws could react properly, Simisear had latched onto his body and sunk its fangs into his left shoulder, breaking through his scaly hide before you hear a nasty Crunch that disturbingly sounded like a bone snapping before Jaws roared out in extreme pain; that had to have been a critical hit for a mere monkey to do THAT to a dragon! By the time Simisear had let go of Jaws, he was clutching his bleeding--and likely broken--shoulder as best he could with his other arm while making a nasty grimace, looking at his injury every so often; this would likely make his Defending himself and even his Attacking less effective. Simisear, meanwhile, wasn’t looking too good either having received some nasty bruises from Jaws’s Stone Edge attack though it still won the damage trade overall having the energy advantage and a slight health advantage. The battle barely started, and already your Pokemon was suffering!

Jaws grabbed onto his bleeding-broken shoulder with his opposite claw, clinging to it so the shooting pain wouldn’t feel so dreadful. Gasping for air from the first rounds’ blows, both trainer and Pokémon looked toward the horizon with feelings of doubt and ignorance from having underestimated their opponent greatly…

What am I going to do? the young trainer thought for a moment as he gritted his teeth so hard that the impact would surely cause them to break if he continued…I could always switch Jaws out for another Pokémon…but who? And what if there could be consequences in doing so? We don’t know much about the lay of the land, what if I need a Pokémon later that would be too exhausted to fight the perils up ahead? What then?…there’s just so much we don’t know yet about the law of this forest…besides, how would Jaws feeling if I had to replace him in the middle of a fight? Dragon’s are prideful by nature…no one is more prideful then him…I could always replenish his health, but I can’t heal a broken bone! I don’t have tools like a Pokémon Center does!

As the trainer tried thinking of their next course of action, the Garchomp looked back at Ethan out of the corner of its eye. Jaws could easily feel the struggle and pressure his trainer was constantly in of always having to be the one to come up with a plan to overcome the obstacles in their way, but that’s what being a trainer was all about…thinking on your feet. Jaws like the rest of the Pokémon on the team would follow their trainer to the depths of hell if that’s what he needed of them...they trusted him and trusted his judgment without question, but sometimes even a trainer needed some reminding that he wasn't alone in this. He had them just as much as they had him.

"Gar!" the Garchomp growled strongly trying to push through the pain as it mustered a smile, grabbing the attention of its trainer who snapped out of his thoughts. Ethan looked back and he knew instantly what that smile meant, 'It’s not over yet, I can do this!' it said.

"You’re right; we didn't train this long and hard to call it quits here!" Ethan smiled as if his burning spirit seemed to have been reignited by Jaws'.

"Gar!" Garchomp breathed steadily as he let go of his shoulder and awaited orders from his trainer.

Now then, we need to think of a way to take that monkey down a peg, taking control of the area will be a bit tricky, we learned that already this round and with Jaws’ shoulder hurt I don’t think it’ll be wise to Dig or use his Claws for attacking… watching as Garchomp waved its tail back and forth the trainer got an idea, Of course! Just like there’s more than one way to skin a Meowth, there’s more than one way to attack!

"Jaws, use Dragon Pulse to push that monkey against a corner, then whether it works or tries to dodge- slam it with one of your Aqua Tails, finish with giving it a taste of your own Crunch attack!"

What they needed to do, more than anything, was to rely in their own strength and will, after all whenever they had been faced with an obstacle in their path they have always faced it head on!

As you and Shieldon begin your journey into the jungle, you remind yourself of everything that had happened to you... well, at least as far as your memory allowed you to remember. You had apparently lost some of your life, and with that some of your strongest and rarest Pokemon, though you still had an extremely rare, unique critter walking with you at that very moment, along with some new friends you couldn't wait to start some adventures with. (including a Spinarak whose previous trainer wasn't quite sure what she was up to half the time; perhaps it was best to keep her in her Pokeball for now...) There was a trail to walk through the rainforest, but it was fairly narrow and surrounded by thick foliage you had to brush aside every few steps just to see ahead of yourself. Thin vines had snaked their way throughout the ground, and you and your Shield Pokemon had to stop quite a few times to get yourselves free from the snags in the road they provided. After about half an hour of this, you suddenly feel drops of water beat down on your head and trickle down your face, and the rain intensified very quickly after that. You heard about rainforests having downpours like this all of a sudden before vanishing soon after, but it only looked like the storm was only going to get worse. Shieldon looked okay for the moment as the water dripped harmlessly off its tough skin, but you felt the need to get yourself some shelter so you could sit out this weather.

It wasn't even five minutes, however, when the rain stopped almost abruptly. Rainforests really had strange weather, didn't they? Oh well, best to just move on right? Wai- not again! You curse at a second sudden rainstorm and urge your Shieldon forward, again looking around for something to stand under. Just when you spot a tree with a hole underneath just big enough for the two of you to crawl in, the rain relents just as quickly as the first time. You weren't going to let the unpredictable weather patterns of the Mystic Jungle get to you a third time, however, as you continued to head straight for the hole under the tree. Just as you were about to crawl inside, almost as if fate wanted to make fun of you, you and Shieldon were drenched by a third downpour, though this time you had the shelter to take advantage of, and you weren't out in the rain for long. Now that you had a moment to relax and collect yourself, you start hearing voices out in the distance, voices that sounded like they were... chanting something. It certainly was possible that whoever or whatever was chanting was behind these random torrents, but you would likely have to brave another random rainfall or two to investigate, or you could always wait in your hole until you were sure the raining totally stopped...

What will Matthew do?

Slight change of plan re:Pokemon, but thanks for the update! Sorry I didn't reply sooner, I had completely missed it.

Matthew Brown stood amongst the trees of the Mystic Jungle as life seemed to edge closer. The screeches of monkey Pokémon, dominance, mating and otherwise, filled the landscape with audible threats; the ritualistic alpha male implication of stepping onto the wrong territory caused the Pokémon trainer wary navigation amidst the dense jungle, changing direction this way and that. The echoes bounced around the tree-top like sound-bite pinball, changing volume and multitude so much that the number of Pokémon in proximity could be anywhere from zero to dozens. Matthew's eyes scanned the roof but no visible sign of life swung from branch to branch; no trace of what or how many. Bushes on the ground rustled with life. Was it the wind, or a Pokémon waiting to strike. Poisonous barbs attached to maleficent plants poked hazardously from every other tropical species, warning the trainer from straying too far from whatever clearing he could find, the narrow path running through thick vined forestation. And yet Matthew's skin was still cut and feet still snagged; continual pierced by spikes unnoticeable to the naked eye and caught by trailing appendages of greenery not seen anywhere but this region of Astoria.

Jeopardy lurked round every corner, with every passing second and with every footstep, and yet … and yet Matthew was less afraid of his surroundings than by the Pokémon accompanying him. His belt rattled with anger, jolting back and forth vigorously. The Skuroupi's presence amongst his persons scared the Pokémon trainer stiff-less. Viess was a Pokémon traded to him with an already established wild streak; his previous trainer, Levin, had been unable to solve. The poison type was an enigma, and even after burning two Superpasses on the Pokémon in an attempt to calm him, the Pokémon still shook the Pokéball with unquestionable fury. Matthew had hoped a journey through the forest would smooth his placation to his team, but since their arrival the scorpion had done nothing to indicate willing coroperation.

Matthew quietly assessed his options. Was fear a valid excuse to keep a Pokémon trapped inside the Pokéball? Was it showing on his face, his character? He was bullstrong, headfirst type of trainer, and thus far he had shown a timid side he rarely would've conceived starting out on his journey. Such brave, bold, rash decisions had given him multiple allies in his fight against Team Rocket, his arch-rivals throughout the lands of Fizzy Bubbles, most notably unlocking the cage and releasing his starter, Rhyhorn, from the clutches of a Team Rocket base. He breathed in deeply, deciding that cowardice was setting a poor example. Reaching back down onto his belt, he removed Shieldon's Pokéball once more, recalling it mere moments after setting it free.

“I'm sorry Shieldon, this is a battle I must face alone”, he announced as the red light engulfed his protector, “You'll get your chance to shine in future adventures I promise”

“I hope I'm not going to regret this”, the final thought rushed through his mind as he unclasped the red and white Pokéball housing Skorupi, releasing it in one fell swoop as the Pokémon appeared through the magic of the Monster Ball capture system. Seconds felt like minutes as trainer and Pokémon stood in a Mexican stand-off, both tentatively watching each other to make the first move.

… Slice

Skorupi moved first, using its agile speed and surprising quickness off the bat, lunging at Matthew and forcing him to dodge down like a boxer as the purple bug aimed pinsir and stinger at his head. Perhaps the real thought should've been “I hope I'm alive to regret this”! Skorupi turned again, this time sending a barrage of Pin Missile's towards the trainer, as Matthew narrowly escaped by ducking behind a tree; the green stingers planting with such force that caused the leafs to shake and fall before the energy missiles shattered. Matthew's heart raced with panic as he attempted to look for Skorupi from around the corner, once again let down by primitive eyes as he saw nothing but an empty clearing.

“God dammit” he screamed, poking his head around the tree. A branch snapped to his right, affording him just enough time to dodge the Slash attack … at least so he though.

A sharp pain settled on his face as Matthew wiped away blood from his cheek. The cut wasn't too deep, at least not enough to leave a scar, but the pain throbbed none-the-less. He quickly tore off a hanging branch from the tree, pointing it at Skorupi with menace.

“Viess, stop!” his voice raised to threatening level, hoping it would be enough to at least prompt the Pokémon back into its Pokéball.

He was wrong as Skorupi charged once again, pincers snapping and tail jabbing, but Matthew managed to brush him out of the way using the leaf-covered end of his new weapon. The Pokémon was fast, but still very light compared to the fitness-addicted trainer. Years spent at his private gym had prepared him for such occasion, and his muscles provided enough leeway to scoot the 26lbs Pokémon away from his soft flesh.

Plink. Plink. Plop

The battle halted as a torrential rainfall begun, a sudden change in weather to the barring heat. Both Pokémon and trainer caught their breath, but Matthew noticed that Skorupi had curled into a ball.

“Scared of water?!” he thought, reaching down for a Pokéball, “Now's my chance to return it”

Matthew fumbled as he threw the Pokéball towards his target, but his rare miscalculation with his hand proved enough for the rain to stop pouring, and Skorupi to dive out of the way. He begun to circle, and Skorupi with him, as he begun moving towards the red-and-white orb sitting pretty on a bed of leaves, intending to retrieve it for another shot of returning his crazed scorpion. Another bout of rainfall foiled his plans as this time both combatants headed for the trees. Matthew found a nice spot under a tree, Skorupi similarly situated opposite him. Rain still drenched his sides as the cover proved not wide enough, and from this distance Matthew could see that Skorupi too struggled to remain dry.

Five minutes passed and eventually Matthew and Skorupi managed to free themselves from the damp spots they found themselves in, Matthew managing to sprint and pick up the Pokéball as Skorupi attempted to climb a tree to use the larger leaves at the top. A sound of sliding pincers on bark then a thud told the trainer his Pokémon had failed, but before he could return Viess a third rainstorm started. Matthew cursed his luck, and the rainforests unpredictable weather, as he scouted around for a better hiding spot.

“There!” he shouted, pointing towards a tree-trunk with a hole in it. It was large enough for him and the branch or him and Skorupi, but not both. He sprinted towards it, seeing that Skorupi had begun doing the same. He slid like a baseball player rounding third, stopping with a thump as his back hit the hole's end as Skorupi looked disheartened. Matthew demeanor settled, his sudden need to survive relenting as his Pokémon scampered to find shelter

“Truce?” he asked, throwing away the branch within arms reach should the tactic not work.

“Skoorrrr” Skorupi answered, tepidly approaching before settling next to his trainer.

Five minute, filled with anxious movement and pure silence, passed slowly as the two nervously waited out the storm. Either one of them had the potential to make a move, but neither did, not daring risking another drenching from the cold rain hammering outside their relative safety. Matthew shivered as his clothes begun to stick to his body, muttering plans for when the sun shone once more. Chanting voices interrupted his, however, as perked his interest. If there was a possibility tribal rituals were being used to summon such rain, it was in his best interest to go take a peak.

“Wanna go take a look? Maybe we can stop the rain” he asked his Pokémon, receiving a nod in return.

With that, Matthew burst from the hole with a stretch, kicking away the branch as a sign of peace between the two companions. Skorupi soon followed, and they were on their way to see what was making such noise, and such rain, the frail treaty and common interest keeping the two from fighting … just yet at least.

You had just saved a guy from a cloud of death spores...congratulations! Now you had to worry about the guy’s daughter who was lost and likely in big trouble, but you couldn’t just leave Thomas here, so you suggested to Quinn that he should accompany the two of you, to which she nods, “I agree, we can contact the jeep that’s heading this way on where to go.” The ranger then turns to Thomas. “Okay, which way did your daughter go?” she asked him.
“There’s a fork up ahead...she took...the path back into the woods...the right path,” he explained. That would be a problem because there was still a huge cloud of spores that would be way too risky to walk into.
“Then we can’t wait for this cloud to dissipate. Shiftry, come out and use Hurricane!”

A Pokemon that closely resembled a spirit known as the Tengu came forth, striking a pose that may have been intended for Larxene before waving his fans in the direction of the spore cloud, but...it didn’t seem to do anything? Well, that must have been embarrassing for the Shiftry; it seemed like the attack always has a chance of failing no matter how much training any Pokemon puts into learning it because Shiftry looked like he was another high-level Pokemon Quinn owned. “Teach you to show off like that,” Quinn giggled. “Try it again!” This time, the attack worked as intended, and an intense gust of wind was exactly what was needed to blow the cloud away, though it had an unfortunate side effect of blowing a few of the smaller trees which would put them off kilter unless someone came along to straighten the trees back up. That would explain why she didn’t use Shiftry’s Hurricane in the first place; it didn’t seem like an attack that could be used willy-nilly. “Good work, Shiftry, now return!” she praised her Pokemon before sending him back to his Pokeball. “Okay, the path should be clear, now let’s move!”

You were tasked with helping Thomas walk around as you headed down the path as fast as you could, taking the right path as you were told, with Quinn informing the jeep of which path to take as well. Just as it felt like you were heading into a thicker part of the woods, a Breloom steps out from behind a tree and blocks your path. “Please, you have to move out of the way!” Quinn pleaded urgently. “This man’s daughter is lost in there, we just want to rescue her, and we’ll leave your home after that, but we need to get in there to find her!” The Fighting-type wouldn’t listen, however, as it looked towards you and put up its fists, apparently challenging you to a battle…

What will Shadow do?

Quinn took the tactical analysis well, and revealed another of her colleagues to clear the way forward. It took a hefty Hurricane from the Shiftry to finally force the spores away, leaving no clue as to what exactly caused it in the first place. Evidently whatever had created the spores to begin with possessed immense control, given that the cloud was able to reform itself without obvious nearby influence - or they were masked so well that they had escaped detection altogether. Neither option sounded particularly comforting. Even with the experience between the pair of them put together, Shadow hoped they wouldn't come across this mystery opponent. Not when they still had a helpless little girl to find and her injured father to escort. Larxene stood to Thomas' right while her Trainer supported his left, careful to use the smoother ends of her arms so as to prevent any poking incidents as they walked Thomas into the forest.

It didn't take long for the team to run into opposition; just as the foliage seemed to thicken a Breloom made its appearance and stubbornly stood in the way. Quinn's attempt at diplomacy went unheeded as the mobile mushroom balled its fists in Shadow's direction. The scientist scowled; he'd had enough of the locals treating him and his partner like a brand new punching bag, and time was a luxury they didn't have. Larxene stood stiffly, caught between shivering in apprehension from the aggressive Grass-type and not wanting to drop Thomas.

"Quinn, help me lift Thomas. We'll have to disable this Breloom and run past it while it's neutralised," he called tersely. Nodding towards Larxene, Shadow grabbed Thomas' other arm so Larxene could assume battle positions. "Sorry about this, Numbuh KH1.5. I know it's going to be a bit of a strain. Use Psychic to hold the enemy down, then paralyse it with your Zap Cannon. Once it can't move, we'll all make a run for it."

Whew, finally got another set of these beauties out! I also welcome DaveTheFishGuy to my group, have fun, and don't die~ >=D

The Divine Woodland

Celebi's Shrine

DaveTheFishGuy -

The curse of the great outdoors had claimed its latest victim as you found yourself...uh, thinking you had to be in the right direction in this vast forest, though you were likely wrong. Gytha, your Skiploom, looked like she had a sense of direction better than you (or that map of yours for that matter) so she got your attention by jumping on your head as hard as her light-as-a-feather body could before she directed you towards the left, where it didn’t look like there was a reliable trail. Still, leave it to a Pokemon to be more in tune with Mother Nature than cartography ever could, right?

As you make your way down what looked like an older trail not kept up by park services, you couldn’t help but feel out of place as a fisherman in a forest where there was no body of water to be seen for miles. Sure you had traversed through a desert before, even though you were out of your element, but there was something completely different about this: you expected to hear at least the running water of a brook, but it wasn’t there...maybe the water would be further down, closer to the shrine? It would make for an interesting scene. Not that the woods you were in weren’t totally picturesque, far from it! It was just that, with all this lush, green vegetation, you figured there had to be some sort of water source giving it life...or you could chalk it up to magic, that wasn’t unheard of in these parts.

You traveled down the intended direction for what felt like an hour, even though it was only about a fourth as much time, according to your Poketch, and you finally come across a man in green robes, all the looks of a Medieval-style, European monk, standing there holding a simple wooden staff in one hand. Perhaps you could ask this guy for directions to the shrine? “Halt! Who goes there!?” the monk shouts at you as he notices your approach, now holding his staff in your hands and pointing it in your direction. “In the name of the Traveler, you will identify yourself!” Ehehehe, maybe it’s not as good of an idea to ask this guy for directions as you previously thought?

What will Dave do?

As he set off in the general direction Gytha had pointed in, Dave folded up his map. He didn't know where he was, no sense in reading it anymore. He'd rather trust the Skiploom than some piece of paper. Leaving the previous clearing behind, he followed the gaps between the trees, the Grass-type gently nudging him if he veered from her planned direction. There was no path, so he was relying entirely on her, and he was fine with that. If there was one Pokémon on his team he could happily leave his life in the hands of, it would be Gytha.

As they (well... he) walked, his ears tried to focus on the surroundings. While there were certainly the calls and cries of various Pokémon, mostly Flying and Bug-types, the area felt... dry. There were no babbling brooks or dripping streams. All the water was likely underground, being brought up by the strong roots of the trees, likely no surface water for miles around. His skin itched slightly - being raised on a coastal wetland had left him used to the presence of moisture. The Desert of Illusion was hellish enough, but at least he'd been expecting that area of the Arcane Realm to be dry. This was a bit more of a surprise.

After several minutes of walking, about a quarter of an hour his Pokétch reckoned, he turned around the tree and came to a halt. Another person! The fisherman blinked as he surveyed the figure, taking in the jade-coloured robes in a very traditional style. A wooden staff completed the image. No doubt about it, the guy had to be a monk - he'd seen similar robes in the various shrines around Sinnoh dedicated to the Lake Trio, the creation Trio, and of course Arceus itself. Perhaps he helped maintain the one that he was searching for?

Taking another step forward, the trainer suddenly froze as the holy man suddenly assumed a defensive stance, raising his staff. Instinctively, he raised his hands, keeping them on display as the monk demanded he identify himself in the name of the... Traveller? Time Traveller? Celebi? It certainly fitted together, but this guy was clearly on edge...

Still, it wasn't like he had a whole lot of options. It was either turn around and spend hours getting lost in the forest again, or hope that the monk wasn't too jumpy. "Forgive my intrusion you, sir." he replied, as calmly as possible. "My name is Dave Wells, a Pokémon Trainer. I originally come from Pastoria City in the Sinnoh Region. I'd heard of the Shrine in this forest to the great Celebi, and wished to find it to pay my respects, nothing more." he explained, keeping his voice level. Gytha was perfectly still atop his head, a sure sign that the Skiploom was worried.

"If you wish me to leave then I will oblige, but I can assure you I am no threat. I simply want to find the Shrine." he stated, hoping that this was good enough for the monk to let him pass, or maybe even show him the way...

Myahoo: With the battle of Pidove against Wildfire waging on, you and Chloe both wondered why the Tiny Pigeon Pokémon attacked all of a sudden. He was busy creating some razor-sharp winds that he wanted to slice Wildfire with. Fortunately, for Wildfire, he was able to use his extrasensory powers to knock the Pidove in the head and make him forget what he was doing.

Pidove became frustrated at that, and he decided to try a similar approach. He didn’t take as long to launch an attack though. His wings glowed, as blades of air cut through the air aimed at Wildfire. The air blades struck your Cyndaquil, and they were more powerful than they normally were. The critical damage must have been fueled by its anger. Wildfire, though, didn’t let that stop him. He lit his fire, and his eyes glowed summoning the power of nature to aid him. This power caused a Rock Slide to fall from the ceiling, all around the cave. Rocks fell in the pond, on the battlefield, and a few of them struck Pidove. This caused him to fall to the ground.

“Maybe you shouldn’t do that again,” Chloe remarked. She held Wings closer to her, as she looked at the ceiling of the cave.

Pidove, breathing heavily, began to growl at Wildfire. It sounded more like an angry coo though. Either way, the growling still caused a quickly charging Wildfire to shake his head as his attack power dropped a little. The Cyndaquil was able to attack Pidove, and the tackle knocked the Pidove against one of the rocks on the ground from the earlier Rock Slide.

Since he was on the ground, Pidove started to roost a little, hoping to get some health back from that Rock Slide.

You’re getting there. What will you do?

Melissa perked up when Wildfire's attack hit and then winced as he was thrown back by the Pidove's more powerful attack. The moment her starter's Naturepower took effect, though, she knew she'd made a bad call. Rocks fell from the ceiling and splashed into the lake. They landed all throughout the cave and threw dust and grit into the air, prompting Melissa to shield her eyes and squint to keep her gaze on the battle. Some of the rocks managed to ground the Pidove, making it a bit easier for her Cyndaquil to reach him, at least.

"Maybe you shouldn't do that again," Chloe remarked, pulling her Staravia close and eyeing the ceiling.

"Funnily enough, I kinda figured," Melissa returned dryly, giving the ceiling a quick glance before turning back to the battle.

The Pidove cooed angrily at Wildfire, who hesitated for a split second before going through with his Quick Attack. The hit sent the Tiny Pigeon tumbling back into one of the rocks that had fallen from the earlier Rock Slide. Oddly enough, it decided the location was safe enough to Roost. Melissa took a moment to blink and stare at the bird Pokemon in confusion, before shrugging. An opportunity was an opportunity, after all.

"See if you can grab onto him when you Wild Charge him, Wildfire. If you can, then use a Flame Wheel. If he manages to get away, then take him down with a Swift."

The problem with Taunting, she thought to herself, was that you couldn't exactly tell when it wore off. Which meant she wouldn't know whether Wildfire was calm enough to try hanging onto the Pidove and transferring the electrical charge over to the Flying-type until he actually went through with it. Not that it would really matter with this series of orders, but it would be nice to have the option to use Foresight or Leer to either track the Pidove or try to intimidate him into stopping, instead of beating him into the ground. She doubted either of those would work in this case, though; the poor Pokemon was probably heartbroken, after all, and wouldn't likely stop until he was exhausted.

Named after the odd shape of the mountain which from a distance resembles an eagle's head, Mt.Eyrie was feared by many ancient tribes who once dwelled in the forest. Because no humans ever set foot upon the mountain, Eyrie Peak has become a haven for bird Pokémon who have made it their nesting ground. Because of this, the recent influx of tourists in the vicinity have their sights set upon this area, specifically in the hope of finding some of the rarer Pokémon in the land. Be warned, the Pokémon nesting here are likely to be fierce and will protect their babies at all costs.

Areas:Adventure Path: Bustling with bird’s nests, this long and jagged path seems to spiral up and around the mountain leading to Eyrie Peak. Several caverns cluster the trail, all inhabited by flying types.

- Up ahead, in the distance.... that's Eyrie Peak. I know I shouldn't, I'm not strong enough to handle what lives up there. But I came all the way here to meet Legendary Flying Pokemon. If I can have the slightest hope of ever running into one... that has to be it.

Inhospitable, inaccessible, inhabited by mighty Flying-Type Pokemon all around. That's what was told about the Eyrie Summit; they also said nobody had ever successfully returned from the peak. That's why Gale had decided to take the long road - he'd cross the Adventure Path from start to finish, hopefully get stronger during the journey, and Arceus willing, maybe he'd make it up there. Maybe it'd all be worth it... and maybe not.

Adventuring isn't about certainty. As much of a bastard as he was, my father taught me that at least. If I wanted to live an easy life, I'd settle for a small base somewhere with a nice coop for my birds. But That'd make me a caged bird as well... I have to remember: eyes on the sky! The road ahead is part of the challenge, part of what it takes to make Falkner proud. Heck, to make Levin proud too! I'm sure he wouldn't stop until the made it to that peak.

He wasn't, nor did he aim to be, an Ace Trainer like Levin Sanders. But he owed the Saffron-native a debt of gratitude for saving his life after the shipwreck that brought him to Cascadia, and for setting him on the path of adventure in the land he never expected himself to end up on. Fizzy Bubbles... He could only hope Levin was right, that he could fulfill his dream here. Though he was yet to meet anyone who'd caught the slightest glimpse of a rare bird...

Then again, they're not looking. Most people don't share my passion, they're too busy with matters of the earth to remember there's a sky above.

One step at a time. For now, crossing the Adventure Path would be his mission. Whether he was equipped to do so, he'd find out at a later time. For the moment, all he cared about was catching a glimpse of the local wildlife.

((I have retired Levin from zone adventures after four years, and have started anew. Feel free to pick other people up over me.))

The Enchanted Forest is a special place of magic and mystery. It is said this island was created by witches many centuries ago and that powerful magic still emanates from deep within the island itself. Stories abound of a race of magical beings who lived in harmony for many centuries before a great war erupted between good and evil forces which eventuated in the almost complete annihilation of all life in the vicinity. Those who survived are said to have exhausted the remainder of their magic casting regenerative spells upon the land before leaving Astoria to allow the island to rejuvenate itself. Now, centuries later, life has returned to the island. All but one area has flourished, Pokémon have returned, and humans have once again set foot upon its shores. The amazing regenerative powers of this island have led many an adventurer to enter the forest in hopes of unlocking the mysteries within, but few have ever returned. What has become of them is anyone's guess, but of those who have come back all appear to have sworn some kind of secret oath to never reveal anything of what they have learned. This air of secrecy has only served to make people more curious, however, and as a result tourism has flourished in recent years. People are now arriving by the dozen on a daily basis to inject this once tranquil forest with new and vibrant life. Whether the forest is welcoming of this change is another matter, though time will surely tell...

The Divine Woodland

[size=1]The Divine Woodland makes up a good 90% of the Enchanted Forest. Normally a very peaceful place where grass, bug and flying Pokémon thrive, the recent boom in tourism has caused the Pokémon who live here to be more cautious of the humans who have begun to invade their natural habitat. There are rumours of strange and magical happenings in this forest and on special nights, under the light of the full moon, who knows what you may encounter...

Areas:

Eyrie Peak

Named after the odd shape of the mountain which from a distance resembles an eagle's head, Mt.Eyrie was feared by many ancient tribes who once dwelled in the forest. Because no humans ever set foot upon the mountain, Eyrie Peak has become a haven for bird Pokémon who have made it their nesting ground. Because of this, the recent influx of tourists in the vicinity have their sights set upon this area, specifically in the hope of finding some of the rarer Pokémon in the land. Be warned, the Pokémon nesting here are likely to be fierce and will protect their babies at all costs.

Areas:Adventure Path: Bustling with bird’s nests, this long and jagged path seems to spiral up and around the mountain leading to Eyrie Peak. Several caverns cluster the trail, all inhabited by flying types.

“Sometimes reading maps can be hard.” Aposteriori has been walking neck deep into the forest before reaching this opened path. “Wow, my eyes cannot stop moving around. The path is filled with beautiful scenery to take in.” Aposteriori has heard about this path before. Looking closer at his map, he sees that the area is known as the Adventure path. Reading the small bulletin on the map it says something about being bustling with bird’s nest. This instantly makes the trainer grin in happiness.

The researcher is faithful to what he came into this area to do: observe birds. He can probably name every bird available, and from what region they pertain to. He just needs a willing ear to listen. Looking around the path, he starts to walk further into the middle of the past. What an inopportune moment for hunger to strike. Aposteriori can only wonder when he will eat again, or if his bag even has food leftover. Man, can this trainer eat. At some point, people will start to wonder if the trainer has a hunger comparable to a Snorlax.

The weather is particular swell. No rain in sight, just clear skies for the trainer to enjoy. By looking up, his eye sight does not fail him as he sees things roaming the sky. There is nothing specific per say that he can make out, though it is clear that some of the UFOs could be pokemon. Continuing on the path, Aposteriori remains weary of disturbing any local fauna; he would not find it too pleasant being attacked. Before he even considers approaching the pokemon in the area, it would be wise for Aposteriori to gain their trust.

With so much to explore in the area, where should he start off first? That is always the toughest thing for the researcher to decide. If he is lucky, the local pokemon will think of him fondly.

The Enchanted Forest is a special place of magic and mystery. It is said this island was created by witches many centuries ago and that powerful magic still emanates from deep within the island itself. Stories abound of a race of magical beings who lived in harmony for many centuries before a great war erupted between good and evil forces which eventuated in the almost complete annihilation of all life in the vicinity. Those who survived are said to have exhausted the remainder of their magic casting regenerative spells upon the land before leaving Astoria to allow the island to rejuvenate itself. Now, centuries later, life has returned to the island. All but one area has flourished, Pokémon have returned, and humans have once again set foot upon its shores. The amazing regenerative powers of this island have led many an adventurer to enter the forest in hopes of unlocking the mysteries within, but few have ever returned. What has become of them is anyone's guess, but of those who have come back all appear to have sworn some kind of secret oath to never reveal anything of what they have learned. This air of secrecy has only served to make people more curious, however, and as a result tourism has flourished in recent years. People are now arriving by the dozen on a daily basis to inject this once tranquil forest with new and vibrant life. Whether the forest is welcoming of this change is another matter, though time will surely tell...

The Divine Woodland

The Divine Woodland makes up a good 90% of the Enchanted Forest. Normally a very peaceful place where grass, bug and flying Pokémon thrive, the recent boom in tourism has caused the Pokémon who live here to be more cautious of the humans who have begun to invade their natural habitat. There are rumours of strange and magical happenings in this forest and on special nights, under the light of the full moon, who knows what you may encounter...

Areas:

Celebi's Shrine: A shrine dedicated to the Legendary Pokémon, Celebi. Under the right conditions, you may be lucky enough to be granted a quest.

The enchanted forest, where lush greenery layered into a haven of ecological fantasy, provided shade for various wildlife, creatures and plants alike. The trunks of huge trees became the warm bed that house a diverse range of Pokemon, which in turn helps eliminate the parasitic plants and growths. The rich undergrowth provides berries to heavier Pokemon and rely on them to disperse their seeds. The ecological balance that this forest achieved can impress most visitors, as it certainly did on a young male Pokemon researcher.

Staring out from inside the rustic hut housing Celebi's shrine, Stefan sighed in awe at the exuberant forest. The peaceful 3-hour journey from his lodge did nothing to dampen his amazement of the forest. Refreshing breeze caressed his face, bringing the scents of rainwater and leaves. Taking in a deep breath, Stefan looked to his trusty partner, Cotton, who looks just as exhilarated as he is. "Don't you wish we came here earlier, Cotton?" He directed his attention back to the forest, "We could have explored the whole island before all these other people did. There's only so much mystery to one place after all." Cotton looked at Stefan expectantly with her round puppy eyes, to which Stefan took as a sign to ruffle her hair. Good thing it's humid, Stefan thought, glad that the static electricity from his Mareep's fleece will dissipate quick enough to not build up.

The clearing with the hut seems to beckon Stefan to stay for longer, but Stefan cannot wait to move on to other sites to explore the other views. He carried Cotton into the hut, bouncing with such gusto that Cotton's fleece rubbed against each other so violently it generated enough static to tickle Stefan's arms. He set Cotton down to the side, and closed his eyes. Stefan silently prayed for the guardian of the forest to guide him through any troubles that may arise. May our journey be fruitful, and as peaceful as a Togekiss' land.

Island Ports: Several bustling ports have sprouted up in Astoria. The more popular the island becomes, the more entry points are needed which has done wonders for the tourism industry. Currently there are seven ports, two in the north of the land, as well as one each in the south, east, north-east, south-east, and north-west. Each location offers a bar or hotel where you may lodge for the night before venturing off into the unknown wilderness.[/size]

Having decided upon striking out from the mainland of Fizzytopia, Ricardo stands at the bough of a boat headed for the island of Astoria, a wide grin on his face as he looks out towards the bustling south eastern port. At his legs, Callie happily lolls her tongue out of her mouth, enjoying the shifting breeze of the brisk sea air across her face. Her excitement gets the better of her for a brief moment, and she begins to bound around the deck of the ship in small circles, coming dangerously close here and there to the railings of the boat. A sharp whistle from Ricardo sees her meekly walk back towards her trainer, but with a reassuring smile he bends down to stroke her behind the ears.

"Don't worry, lass. I'm just as excited as you. Astoria? Let's see what lurks on this island. Maybe we'll find dark forces, a new ally to fight in our name? You never know!"

Grinning as he stands to turn towards the quickly approaching port, Ricardo is pleased to hear Callie once again merrily yipping at her trainer, the spirit of the Lillipup matching that of her rather eccentric trainer.

---

Finally making land in the port, Ricardo quickly disembarks alongside Callie, the Lillipup trotting ahead of her trainer now and then as she drinks in the new sights of her surroundings. Her energy is easily matched by Ricardo, the eager youngster bobbing and weaving after his Pokemon through the crowds of working people and tourists hanging around the docks. He comes dangerously close to bumping into people now and then, just managing to weave out of their way, and his attire seems to draw one or two untoward looks, but as always he remains oblivious to the questioning stares. Finally, they seem to make their way to a congregation point of sorts, something of an open center bordered on all sides by hotels and bars. Not wanting to bring the day to an end just yet, Ricardo consults a nearby map. As uncertain as ever, he frowns, before closing his eyes and placing his index finger on the board. Moving it around in small circles, he finally stops and opens his eyes, squinting to read the name place attached to the area.

"The Lakes, eh? Sounds rather boring, but in this place, I doubt it is."

Whistling, he calls for Callie, and the young Lillipup comes rushing over, almost bumping into her trainer in her excitement. Laughing, Ricardo once again kneels to scratch behind her ears, informing her of their destination.

"Looks like we're heading out to the Lakes, lassie. I presume you have no objections?"

A quick yip from the Lillipup confirms his suspicions, and shouting loudly into the air, Ricardo strikes out on his journey into Astoria's heart, heading towards the Lakes.

Named after the odd shape of the mountain which from a distance resembles an eagle's head, Mt.Eyrie was feared by many ancient tribes who once dwelled in the forest. Because no humans ever set foot upon the mountain, Eyrie Peak has become a haven for bird Pokémon who have made it their nesting ground. Because of this, the recent influx of tourists in the vicinity have their sights set upon this area, specifically in the hope of finding some of the rarer Pokémon in the land. Be warned, the Pokémon nesting here are likely to be fierce and will protect their babies at all costs.

Areas:Posy Field: An area of mountainside filled with many apricorn trees, berry plants, rare herbs and flowers. The strong scents have attracted many bug Pokémon who like to feed on the vast range of delicious nectars in the vicinity.

Standing in front of a huge field, The Doctor took a deep breath. He and his beloved Benedict had travelled miles, and miles, on feet to reach the beautiful Posy field. The Doctor had heard of its abundance in Berries and apricorns and herbs and flowers and various other beautiful things. The smell of the field was known to be divine. The Doctor was fond of Bug type Pokemon. He loved the way they evolved quickly and became strong and formidable. “Aye, let’s step in then, shall we?” Asked the Doctor to his Snorunt. Snorunt was staring into nothingness. Just gazing at the entrance of the field. It seemed as if the beauty of the field had already caught it’s eye. “Benedict?” Called The Doctor, snapping his fingers in front of her. Benedict snapped out. Knowing He had been staring and day dreaming, He blushed a little. “Oh, come on! It’s alright to day dream.” Said The Doctor. “If this beauty doesn’t mesmerize one, one is heartless.” The Doctor continued as they started walking inside.

The smell was as divine as it was suppose to be. The Doctor stopped at the start of the fields. “I think we are very lucky to be in a place like this, aren’t we, Benedict?” Benedict looked up and nodded in affirmation. Benedict felt at home. It had been years that Benedict has smelled something this beautiful. Happiness was clearly visible on his face. He was quick to go and hug one of the plants and smell a flower. Not knowing how far he had come, he stopped and looked back, seeing The Doctor at distance, standing with hands folded. Benedict, as fast as he could started moving towards the Doctor. Upon reaching The Doctor, Benedict crashed into his feet. “Now, now. Don’t go away running like this or the next thing you’ll see is the inside of your Pokeball, you get that?” The Doctor said it with a voice stern enough to beak the strongest of Pokemon.

They began walking again, together, looking around in pure ecstasy. “Where are you little bug Pokemon hiding?” Said the Doctor, continuing to walk. Profile

Once home to many ancient Astorian clans, its amazing structures have now been completely overrun by thick jungle foliage. Normally a very peaceful place where grass, bug and flying Pokémon thrive, the magical temples of the old kingdom have brought upon strange occurrences to those passing through. Should you find yourself in the incredibly fruitful rainforest, who knows what you may encounter.

Areas:Forgotten Ruins: Now completely overrun by deep foliage, they’ve made a suitable home for countless grass types. However, stories have spread of the intricate sanctuaries filled with great riches that lie beyond the vegetation. Riddles were a popularity of the ancients, be sure you’re intelligent enough.

"Are you sure that you are going to be okay Remilia? Are you and Atalanta well? Do you have the proper medical supplies in case of an emergency?" Lillian was running to and fro around the Base, making sure that Remilia and Atalanta were okay for their first adventure together, and really, Remilia's first adventure period. Atalanta was just really excited to go along with Remilia on what was planned to be their first hunting trip together. Although Atalanta was a little small, she had unbridled energy that made Remilia think that she could handle this journey. Lillian was busy packing their bags with all sorts of things when she took out something out of a wooden box and handed it to Remilia. It was one of Lillian's revolvers, one of two that she had always kept on her in case of "emergencies". Remilia stared at it blankly for a moment, before she shook her head and backed away from it. "Lillian, you know we can't bring those into the zones. Besides, if need be, Atalanta and I can handle ourselves. I wouldn't be going on this trip if it wasn't for that. We don't need the gun."

Lillian stared at Remilia for a second, as if to make sure. A quick flash of brown to red to brown again. But Lillian relented, putting the revolver back inside the wooden box it belonged in, before putting the box under the bed. Remilia smiled and hugged Lillian tightly, whispering in her ear that things were going to be alright and that she and Atalanta were going to be fine, before grabbing her pack and parasol and making for the door. Atalanta jumped up from the floor and bounded towards the door, ready to get out and start hunting actual Pokemon. Remilia turned and smiled at Lillian, before blowing her a kiss. "I love you, Lillian. I'll be back soon, I promise!" Lillian smiled and grabbed the kiss from mid-air. "I love you, Remilia. Stay safe! Use those medical supplies if you or Atalanta get hurt! I'll make sure to call and check up on you as much as I can!" Lillian watched as they went out the door, the cold grip of fear grabbing her heart before it was shoved away. She knew they would be fine.

---

The Forgotten Ruins were a tough trek for Remilia, but for Atalanta, she seemed to have no problem navigating the dense jungle foliage because of her small size and limber body. But with a parasol to keep the sun off of her and the fact that Remilia...was never really used to this kind of trekking, she had to repeatedly take rests and occasionally got into some compromising situations in which she needed the help of Atalanta to get out of. But it was worth it to her, because she could hear the sound of life all around her, and knew this would be a good place to train Atalanta. Not only was she going to get some first hand experience hunting, but she was going to learn how to hunt in all different kinds of environments, because she wasn't always going to get optimal conditions. These ruins, with their plethora of Grass-type Pokemon, would be an excellent place to start out with. Since they were called the "Forgotten Ruins" Remilia wasn't likely to meet anyone else who could interfere, and it would give them, essentially, the run of the place. Which suited her just fine. She also had her hunting instincts and didn't necessarily want to hurt anyone. Today.

When they got to the ruins, the first thing that Remilia noticed was that they were totally overgrown with plants. This would make things harder for her and Atalanta, but she welcomed the challenge as she took off her pack and began to set-up camp. She had the firestarter that Lillian had given her, the food that Lillian had packed, the gun-. "Oh you have got to be kidding me. I didn't check to see if the other one was there." That was stupid on her part, but she had to admit it was cunning of Lillian to do something like that. That kind of cunning was new. But Remilia enjoyed it, because it at least was showing that Lilliant was looking out for her. She hid the gun back into her pack, while Atalanta sniffed around until she found a nice place to relax under a patch of sunlight. Remilia marveled at how the sun would reflect off of her gray and black fur, giving Atalanta another measure of depth that was incredible. Remilia set up a marker with a retractable orange flag, to make sure she could find this place again, and set-up the basics for a small campfire. She had to learn how to do this from Lillian, who had been pretty decent at it from her previous time adventuring, but Remilia found it to be a little tedious and boring. She wanted to get out there with Atalanta and start already. Her blood was boiling in her veins.

"Come on, Atalanta, there is no time to sleeping around. We have to start right now." Remilia said, causing Atalanta to jump up and run to her feet. "Do you think we're going to be able to easily hunt something, Mama?" Atalanta said, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready and willing. "It may take a bit, Ata, but we should have some good luck here, as long as we're cautious. Let's start now." Remilia walked forwards into the ruins as Atalanta followed her, wondering what their first catch would be...

Adventure Path: Bustling with bird’s nests, this long and jagged path seems to spiral up and around the mountain leading to Eyrie Peak. Several caverns cluster the trail, all inhabited by flying types.

It had been forever since Alice Hope had done anything that resembled hiking. Falling into this wonderland seemed to have ruined her fitness anyway, although being surrounded by magic and energetic Pokemon had certainly encouraged the young woman to get out more. The real thing was different to upping the incline on a treadmill or jogging relatively flat ground, however, and the blonde could not disguise her gradual, uphill suffering.

At least the winds of the altitude brought with it some cool of Astoria's warm climate. Seeing as the woman felt heat more easily, this kept her more comfortable. Long hair had been pulled into more practical and adorable buns atop the head, exposed lobes pierced with dark sapphire studs. A low cut, sleeveless top was exposed underneath an open, hooded jacket, Alice's legs wrapped in plain jeans. Stylish but suitable grey and floral walking shoes crunched up the mountain trail, a black and flowery backpack containing the necessary supplies.

As always, she refused to travel alone, however. A little electric mouse bounded about around her, the baby making sure to stay reasonably close to the human. This world seemed a mystery to the ill thing, and the Pokemon knew by now that she was easily spooked despite her draw to adventure. This wasn't only a sightseeing venture, of course. If Astoria held any clue to her situation, Alice hoped to find it. Any treasures and cool Pokemon were a bonus, too. The darkness of the caverns kinda spooked her, but she hoped there might be rock Pokemon on the trail, too, or other rare surprises.

“Pi, pichu!” The sole female of the team called, waving for the pale human to hurry up. Alice sighed, laughing after. She couldn't resist Peach's natural sweetness.
“I'm coming, I'm coming.” The trainer mock-complained, trying to get a move on despite herself.